HENRICO COUNTY, Va. (WTVR) - It's a battle over school boundary lines in western Henrico. A growing population was faced with two redistricting plans already on the table. But parents living in subdivisions near Gayton Elementary are worried about a third proposal.
"We have serious issues with it because what it means for Gayton is that Gayton will be the only elementary school singled out to have only capacity of 110 percent,” Steve Roberts, County-Council Rep. for Gayton Elementary, said.
Kaechele Elementary School is slated to open next year in far western Henrico. The county is redistricting its western half to accommodate the new school opening.
In a PTA flyer sent to parents Monday, the county's new "blended option" doubles Gayton's current boundary and adds 233 kids to the school's current 448.
"It's not a school that was built for that kind of capacity,” Roberts said. “The lunch room is very small compare to the new schools that have been built. "
"It certainly didn't come out of nowhere. This is a process that began months ago,” Henrico County school spokesman Andrew Jenks said,
We asked Jenks why the disparity?
"Clearly, the school system is looking to provide the best education possible. And the best facilities possible. So, this is part of the process. The talks will continue and the board is not committed to any of these options yet,” Jenks replied.
But the board will have to convince those concerned parents now raising questions over this latest proposal.
"If this happens, it will never be the same. They won't recover from this,” parent Susan Kane said.
One parent told CBS 6, if county school leaders move forward on the “blended option,” he’ll get a court injunction to stop the plan.
If you want to weigh in on Henrico county’s new redistricting plan, a public hearing will be held Thursday from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Hermitage High School.
